I have known Srila Bharati Maharaja since I was a young man living with Srila Gaura Govinda Maharaja. He spent many days in the Puri Math of His Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhav Maharaja. I would visit Puri often and see him there. I read his beautiful memories of my Srila Prabhupada in Mula Prakriti's book "Srila Prabhupada - A Friend to All." He always appeared very attractive to me and therefore I ever had some affection for him in my heart.
In 2011, after the disappearance of Srila Narayan Maharaja at the end of 2010, I was feeling depressed. One day Bhudara Prabhu called me to tell me that he had had this dream every night for 3 nights where a Gaudiya Sannyasi was coming to him in the dream and telling him to contact me and ask me to visit him, and he would take care of me. Bhudara Prabhu said he did not know who this Gaudiya Sannyasi was. However, I knew immediately. I emailed a picture of Srila Bharati Maharaja to Bhudara Prabhu and he said, "Yes, this is the person I saw in my dream." So I went to see Srila Bharati Maharaja, and his association gave me a new spiritual life. His nature is that of Pure Sweetness. His Hari Katha is like nectar, and his insightful spiritual exchanges with me have heightened my spiritual cognition of the Gaudiya Siddhanta. However, of all the gifts I was blessed with by Srila Bharati Maharaja, the blessing of understanding the importance of giving service to and enumerating the glories of the Vaishnavas was, in my humble opinion, the greatest gift I received from His Divine Grace.
Srila Bharati Maharaja laid a tremendous amount of emphasis on serving and glorifying the Vaishnavas. On every appearance day or disappearance day of any of the innumerable Gaudiya Vaishnavas in our line, including all the Sannyasis who were disciples of Srila Saraswati Prabhupada and the disciples his Sannyas disciples, Srila Bharati Maharaja would lovingly tell their stories and their particular accomplishments in spreading the Sankirtan Movement of Lord Caitanya. The spiritual joy in his demeanor and voice was palpable as he regaled us with the colorful tapestry of these stories. The richness of the history of our Gaudiya Vedanta lineage was unfolded before our eyes and ears in such an articulate, sweet, and loving manner that these glorifications became the highlight of his classes. However, it was not only the Gaudiya history that we were blessed with hearing but also the invaluable instructions on how to serve Guru and Vaishnavas that we received by hearing about the glorious service that each and every one of the Vaishnavas that he glorified had rendered. Oh! How I miss hearing him tell us the glories of the Vaishnavas.
On this glorious Vyasa Puja day of his Divine Appearance, I offer my most respectful obeisances at His Holy Lotus Feet and pray to the Lotus Feet of Srila Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Goswami Maharaja that he please always bless me and keep me in the shelter of his Lotus Feet. Hare Krishna
Your Insignificant Servant
Swami B.V. Bhagavat
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